Complete larval and early juvenile development of the mangrove crab Perisesarma fasciatum (Crustacea: Brachyura: Sesarmidae) from Singapore, with a larval comparison of Parasesarma and Perisesarma

Abstract

The complete larval development of the sesarmid crab Perisesarma fasciatum (Lanchester, 1900) from Singapore was obtained from laboratory culture. All four zoeal stages, the megalopa and the first crab stage are described and illustrated. The morphological characteristics of the larvae of P. fasciatum are compared with those of other known larvae of the genera Perisesarma and Parasesarma. The larval morphology of P. fasciatum clearly presents the typical combination of features that characterise sesarmid larvae. Overall, larval stages are very similar in Perisesarma and Parasesarma and it is impossible to distinguish these two genera by larval morphology.